Seventy teams are playing in bowl games this season, yet only two have a chance at the crystal football as the BCS national champion. We rank all 35 games to be played this bowl season, starting with the best.

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1

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BCS National Championship Game, Jan. 7: Notre Dame vs. Alabama

Ladies and gentlemen, the BCS got it rig… oh, forget it. Two storied programs; one team (Alabama) on the verge of matching Nebraska’s run of three national titles in four seasons (1994-95, ’97), and the other (Notre Dame) trying to win it all for the first time since 1989.

2

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Holiday Bowl, Dec. 27: Baylor vs. UCLA

You’re kidding, right? Who in their right mind won’t be glued to the television? Baylor’s high-powered offense (and suddenly decent defense) vs. a talented UCLA team that could have (and maybe should have) won the Pac-12—and has to stop a two-game losing streak.

3

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Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 3: Oregon vs. Kansas State

Forgive these two if they’d like to puke. They had the big prize right in front of them—and neither could grab it by winning out. Nonetheless, an exciting game that could reach into the 80s in points scored.

4

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Cotton Bowl, Jan. 4: Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma

Johnny Heisman vs. the Aggies’ former rivals from the Big 12. Think OU’s conference pals would like the Sooners to, you know, make a statement here?

5

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Rose Bowl, Jan. 1: Stanford vs. Wisconsin

Watch these two bang heads for four quarters and you’ll think you’re watching an SEC game. Wisconsin is better than its five-loss record (four losses by 12 points; two overtime losses), and showed it by pummeling Nebraska in the Big Ten championship game.

6

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Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29: Texas vs. Oregon State

This is more than the game; it’s what could be afterward. Texas president Bill Powers publicly backed Mack Brown last week. What happens if the Longhorns lose to the Beavers?

7

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Orange Bowl, Jan. 1: Northern Illinois vs. Florida State

Why am I the only one who thinks A) NIU is a good team, and B) FSU is the definition of enigma. This thing is begging for a mega upset.

8

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Gator Bowl, Jan. 1: Northwestern vs. Mississippi State

Any time you can watch Northwestern in a bowl game, sit down with your eyes glued to the TV and don’t move for three hours. This will be more of the same, especially considering Mississippi State played so poorly down the stretch.

9

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Chick-fil-A Bowl, Dec. 31: LSU vs. Clemson

You would think this could get interesting, considering Clemson’s offense and LSU’s desire to be in Atlanta on the first of December instead of the last. If LSU’s NFL-ready players (there are a bunch) decide to play it safe, Clemson can win.

10

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Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2: Florida vs. Louisville

Bowl organizers in New Orleans exhaled after Louisville coach Charlie Strong decided to spurn Tennessee’s offer and stay with the Cardinals. It kept this game from being an utter catastrophe. As it is, Florida now wins by probably only four touchdowns.

11

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Outback Bowl, Jan. 1: South Carolina vs. Michigan

Think about this for a moment: Denard Robinson, the most dynamic runner/escape artist in the game, vs. Jadeveon Clowney, the meanest, baddest dude in the game. Worth the price of admission.

12

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Poinsettia Bowl, Dec. 20: BYU vs. San Diego State

Remember the old Holiday bowls where BYU would score 80,000 points and somehow find a way to win it late. Well, this BYU team plays defense, and gets a hot SDSU team—winners of seven straight.

13

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Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Dec. 29: TCU vs. Michigan State

No one has played defense more consistently outside the SEC than these two programs. Two young quarterbacks still finding their way against two defenses that played well the last month of the season.

14

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New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 15: Nevada vs. Arizona

This is strictly on total points/yards potential. Very little defense, and overflowing offense. First one to 50 wins.

15

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Capital One Bowl, Jan. 1: Georgia vs. Nebraska

Here’s hoping Nebraska does something to shake up things prior to the first of the year. Because if the Huskers defense that showed up in the Big Ten championship game is alive and well, Georgia might get 70, too.

16

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Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 22: Washington vs. Boise State

Huskies QB Keith Price had Heisman hopes prior to the season. Now coach Steve Sarkisian says he’ll have to battle for his job in the spring. And here comes Boise State: another 10-win season, another chance to make a statement against a BCS team.

17

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Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 15; Toledo vs. Utah State

Two exciting offenses and one defense (Utah State) that, at times, can be very good. Utah State somehow held onto rising star coach Gary Andersen, who signed an extension in the offseason despite interest from BCS schools.

18

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Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 29: Syracuse vs. West Virginia

An old Big East game between a current Big 12 team (WVU) and a future ACC team (Syracuse). Get it? Here’s all you need to know: quarterbacks will rule in this game. WVU’s Geno Smith could be the first overall pick in next year’s NFL draft, and Syracuse’s Ryan Nassib could be a late first-round pick.

19

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Russell Athletic Bowl, Dec. 28: Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech

The Disappointment Bowl. The Scarlet Knights had two chances to win the Big East and advance to a BCS Bowl. VT had its worst record since the 1990s, and looked for much of the season like it quit on coach Frank Beamer.

20

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Sun Bowl, Dec. 31: USC vs. Georgia Tech

If you’re a fan of defense, stay away. Everyone else, welcome to a nice start to your New Year’s night. USC QB Matt Barkley is expected to play, but even if he doesn’t and Max Wittek does, Georgia Tech has no answer for the Trojans’ abundance of skill players.

21

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Heart of Dallas Bowl, Jan. 1: Purdue vs. Oklahoma State

Mike Gundy can sooth a lot of hurt feelings by beating Purdue and finishing the season on a strong note. Or he can burn more bridges with a loss—and have his bosses wondering why he wasn’t preparing instead of looking for another job.

22

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Music City Bowl, Dec. 31: NC State vs. Vanderbilt

The Commodores are trying to win nine games for only the third time in school history—and the first time since 1915. Dana Bible will coach the Wolfpack on an interim basis before Dave Doeren takes over in January.

23

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BBVA Compass Bowl, Jan. 5: Pittsburgh vs. Ole Miss

Two teams finishing strong to get bowl eligible, but two teams on different levels. Pitt still finding out how to win; Ole Miss learning how to close out games (should have beaten Texas A&M and LSU).

24

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Belk Bowl, Dec. 27: Cincinnati vs. Duke

The more turmoil at Cincinnati, the better chance Duke has at winning its first bowl game since a 1961 Cotton Bowl win over Arkansas, and giving the ACC a nice postseason win.

25

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Hawaii Bowl, Dec. 24: Fresno State vs. SMU

Few coaches did as good a job this season as FSU’s Tim DeRuyter, whose Bulldogs played hard week after week and won nine games in his first season. SMU coach June Jones returns to Hawaii to coach a game, after a nine-year run as the school’s most successful coach.

26

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Liberty Bowl, Dec. 31: Iowa State vs. Tulsa

A rematch of the season opener won by Iowa State in Ames. Tulsa then won 10 of its final 12 games, including another C-USA championship.

27

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GoDaddy.com Bowl, Jan. 6: Kent State vs. Arkansas State

Kent State hasn’t been to a bowl game in 40 years. And just think: the Golden Flashes were a game away from playing in a BCS game (imagine that). One more little issue: both head coaches are now gone: Darrell Hazell (to Purdue) and Gus Malzahn (to Auburn).

28

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Meineke Car Care Bowl, Dec. 28: Texas Tech vs. Minnesota

Hard to imagine how anyone on the Tech team can focus on preparing— much less, playing—in a bowl game after the way former coach Tommy Tuberville skipped town. Somehow, that narrative will overshadow the last time these two met in a bowl game: the Gophers blew a 31-point lead in the Insight Bowl in 2006, and lost 44-41 in overtime. Minnesota coach Glen Mason was fired two days later.

29

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Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, Dec. 29: Navy vs. Arizona State

ASU coach Todd Graham’s checklist as first-year coach: winning record for first time in five years (check); win the Territorial Cup (check), win a bowl game (we’ll see). Navy and its triple option offense won’t be easy to defend.

30

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Independence Bowl, Dec. 28: Louisiana-Monroe vs. Ohio

I’m all for a state team getting a shot to play in this game, but by choosing ULM over Louisiana Tech (and stars QB Colby Cameron and WR Quinton Patton), the Q rating of this game dropped, I don’t know, 100 percent? Fortunately, there is Ohio QB Tyler Tettleton. Enjoy, everyone.

31

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Military Bowl, Dec. 27: San Jose State vs. Bowling Green

Two vastly underrated teams with strong seasons. Even though San Jose State lost head coach Mike McIntyre to Colorado, the Spartans still have a major goal remaining: a turnaround of 10 games in three seasons: from 12 losses in McIntyre’s first season, to 11 wins in his last.

32

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New Orleans Bowl, Dec. 22: ECU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

This is about this: ULL was a blocked punt (returned for a touchdown) in the final seconds in Gainesville from beating the No. 3 team in the nation. How can little old ECU, winners of five of the last six games, be much tougher?

33

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Armed Forces Bowl, Dec. 29: Rice vs. Air Force

Like you have anything better to do on Dec. 29 than return gifts at packed stores on a holiday weekend. Suck it up, man. Get in front of the tube for a few hours and watch a rejuvenated Rice team that won its last four to get bowl eligible and play in this classic.

34

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Beef O’Brady’s Bowl, Dec. 21: UCF vs. Ball State

I say this in all honesty when I proclaim, why in the world would anyone outside Orlando and Muncie watch this game? Ball State won its last six games (Pete Lembo is a heckuva coach), and has never won a bowl game. I think he can make that happen here.

35

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Little Caesars Bowl, Dec. 26: Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan

What better way to spend your day after Christmas than hearing about a bad seed who has gotten chance after chance to coach college football, getting another chance to coach at WKU next season? The Bobby Petrino story will overshadow anything on the field.